I have a question for you. When I ask, "What is American food?" You say… For the past 15 years, without hesitation, most of my students have all said the same thing.
Hamburgers are on the menu. They are, yes, the ultimate summer cookout American favorite, so ‘tis the season, but have you had one smashed, basted in butter, in a cast iron skillet?
Famed hamburger historian George Motz traces the origin of the burger back to 13th century Mongolia and Russia, where meat was eaten raw, or “tartare”. Then to the 19th century where the Hamburg Steak, brought by German settlers from, of course, Hamburg, appeared ground and cooked, in New York. Between 1885 and 1904 is when it went from plate to bun.
Claims for its introduction to America come from Charlie Nagreen, who sold a meatball between two slices of bread at the Seymour Fair in Wisconsin, as well as from the World’s Fair in St. Louis in 1904. In 1921 Billy Ingram, owner of a small family business called White Castle, introduced the 5-cent, small square hamburger - the original slider. They were “sold by the sack”, so they also claim to be the first carryout establishment.
On to the important stuff...
The meat.
Fresh, never frozen. Ground chuck is preferred. 80% lean, 20% fat is the perfect balance. This cut comes from the upper shoulder of the cattle, a cut with plenty connective tissue and robust flavor.
But you can’t go wrong with fresh ground beef. Remember: the thinner the burger, the hotter the heat should be. Thick burgers – sometimes called “tavern style” - need moderate heat for a medium-rare center.
Seasoning?
Of course it needs salt. I like grey salt. You may see it in stores as Celtic Grey salt. It’s actually healthy – something about balancing your electrolytes - and it’s tasty. If you season the meat before you make the patty, it “denatures” it, or breaks down the natural protein, so it becomes too dense. If you season the exterior right before it hits the heat, it’s tender and juicy. After that, flavor it to your pleasure.
Speaking of heat, some hamburger purists like to grill them directly over fire. Hello summer! But the cast iron skillet is becoming a popular method because it provides a hot, smoky surface and that large surface area aids caramelization - which are the crunchy edges - while trapping the drippings.
That was a mouth full!
Ok - the bun.
You need the perfect ratio of meat-to-bun, so choose wisely. Brioche, Kaiser, Potato, Sesame seed, Pretzel. Or just a “regular” bun? Tough decision.
Let’s talk about onions and cheese.
We know that onions were one of the first additions. The White Castle original slider is simply meat and onions on a bun. If you’re adding cheese - American cheese, please – you gotta melt it. Basically, gift wrap the burger in cheese.
Lastly...
Are you adding ketchup, mustard, pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, bacon – all or any sounds good. Mayonnaise? I don’t know when we started putting mayonnaise on hamburgers, but it doesn’t belong.
I’ve heard stories about people living dangerously by steaming their burgers or putting green chilis, fried eggs, avocados, or truffles on them. I recently saw a video of a guy who loves peanut butter on his burgers. Bless his heart. I guess he ran out of jelly and needed something to put his extra peanut butter on.
But hey - life is short, so go for it. Speaking of short, I’m out of time.
Join me next time, to find out what’s On the Menu.
